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Friday, May 1, 2015

In Context: RadioLoveFest

WNYC is back on stage at BAM for year two of RadioLoveFest, a multi-day festival running May 5—10. Context is everything, so get even closer to your favorites with this curated selection of related articles, interviews, and videos. For those of you who've already attended an event, help us keep the conversation going by telling us what you thought below and by posting on social media using #RadioLoveFest.

Show your radio love by wearing the RadioLoveFest heart on your sleeve! Most RadioLoveFest BAMbills include bright heart-shaped stickers—just write in your favorite show, host, or program in the blank space, affix to your sleeve or chest, and post your love to Instagram or Twitter with #RadioLoveFest so everyone knows for whom your heart beats.

Now your turn...
Which show(s) did you see? How did you enjoy yourself? Was the live experience of your favorite show surprising? What'd you love? What didn't you love? Tell us what's on your mind in the comments below and on social media using #RadioLoveFest.

I saw the Marc Maron/Terry Gross interview. It was very interesting to hear Terry Gross talk about her background & the thought process of what goes into her interviews & how content gets on "Fresh Air". Of course Maron was a very funny interviewer.

Trivia Nacht was a train wreck. Dave shooting double birds and walking off the stage, the host saying, "I'm going to punch my producer in the face after the show," the humor split between groaners and syphilis jokes... what a waste of money. The personalities were perhaps just trying to survive a burning building (maybe?), but RadioLab should undoubtedly sever ties with all writers involved.

Islamophobia: A Conversation was excellent. When it was announced that Ayaan Hirsi Ali would not be participating, I considered turning in my tickets, fearing that the discussion would be dull and too PC. However, after reading some of Asra Q. Nomani's writings and admiring them, I decided to take a chance. The panel was quite balanced (but didn't contain a zionist or member of IS for obvious reasons). The discussion was lively, varied, and sometimes heated. Applause erupted from different parts of the audience in response to things said and there were a few verbal skirmishes among members of the audience that were tactfully broken up by the BAM Staff. There was a significant police presence in the background. This was an evening to remember for a long time. Thank you WNYC and BAM for providing us with a real dialogue across boundaries!

Islamophobia: I found the varied points of view on this highly-charged topic incredibly interesting. It really brought to mind how many facets are involved when it comes to the root problems and dangerous perceptions about them. I agreed with aspects of each commentator's point of view, and echoes of the evening are still resonating with me. Thank you, Brian Lehrer and BAM, for an intellectually lively, important event!

Selected Shorts: Overall a very pleasant evening. Not sure about some of the selected stories. I can't remember the name of the story that Hope Davis read, but I found it not worthy of a live read. The best reading was the last story by the the host. Engaging, absorbing, well done.

It's All About Richard Rodgers with Jonathan Schwartz was fabulous. Each of the six performers were outstanding. Jessica Molaskey and John Pizzarelli, what a pair! All were backed by a great quartet led by Tedd Firth. Cyrille Aimee's version of Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered was a highlight. Jonathan was quite eloquent in his appeal to keep this music alive.

Radiolab was excellent. I thought the stories all tied in nicely with the theme of the heart, having heart, the pulse of life, and so on. The music was a perfect accompaniment to all the stories of that evening and I could feel my own heart thrumming with the beat. Perfect theme, perfect execution!

It's All About Richard Rodgers with Jonathan Schwartz was terrific, what a great opportunity to have a great american songbook "sampler". We were at the 2014 edition and would welcome further events with Jonathan!